1. Last weekend I realized I was remiss in not photographing my new acquisitions from the TTC Knitalong – and having new yarn to squeeze and fondle is, of course, half the fun!

I came home with some Socks That Rock mediumweight (Bleck – gotta love that colour name), Malabrigo Rasta for a winter cowl and hat (for some reason the Rasta stock is pretty high in the middle of July), and a pair of striping sock yarn skeins from Turtlepurl yarns. (This is the sock yarn seen in that pretty picture of striped swatches, from my Knitalong post.)

2. I didn’t think I needed any striping sock yarn in my life just now, but then I was at the Purple Purl the other week and they’d just gotten in a bunch of the Turtlepurl stuff and the striping variations were just so charming and that red and green I got one was called ‘Poisoned Apple’, and a girl can only resist charming yarn for so long.

3. I’m keeping it on ice but first I have to finish the current ribbed socks on the needles, this time Socks That Rock Mediumweight (a touch speedier and warmer than socks in Lightweight), in Carbon, pulled from the stash.

4. This is one of those colourways that looks totally different in the sock as you thought it might in the skein, but I’m going with it anyway. They look sort of starry-night-ish and will be cozily understated for winter.

5. I’m also still industriously knitting away on All The Design Projects that have been keeping me busy for much of the summer so far. It’s been consuming work but I’m finally starting to see the finish line up ahead a little bit in the distance, which is reassuring.

6. I’m spending a lot of time thinking about the Sequoia-red-orange Madelinetosh I bought a couple of weeks ago. I think it’s going to be my first fall-sweater-for-me and it is among my August knitting plans. Me and August are going to spend some time knitting for me, me, me, me, it’s going to be fantastic.

7. But before July is out I am heading off to the woods tomorrow, to teach for a week at the Haliburton arts school workshops – a repeat of my sweater knitting class I did last year, and it’s going to be a nice change of pace from city knitting for a bit. I also hope to emerge with a few more stories and fun photos for all of you.

12 responses to “Dispatches”

It has been my experience that when I “spend a lot of time thinking ” about any particular yarn, it winds up on my needles sooner than planned. The best laid plans ..you know? Love your posts! Thank you for keeping me sane along with you.

What’s your favorite cast-on for socks? I discovered a very stretchy cast-on, online, something like German cast-on, or Norwegian. It’s a type of long tail, ithe an extra twist, I think. What do you like? I’m knitting your Weekend socks, fom Canadian Living, several years old. Thanks!

Ah…the sequoia…have a sticky note with that colourway on it after fondling it in your stash when we were in Peterborough :-) Even though the fall knitting is about you you you…feel free to design something for the sequoia that would look good on me ;-)